Before the Breakdown
by 10000 Dead Roses
Summary: A side story to Everto Dea. Has anyone ever wondered what the Halliwell household was like before Sarah died and Wyatt went evil? A series of one-shots showing the madness of the Halliwells over the years.
1. PMS and Powers

**This is sort of a side-story to Everto Dea. I had a whole heap of ideas for Chris and Sarah's past but they didn't all fit into Everto Dea so that's what this is for. The idea came to me thanks to chipmunk87 so this first one is dedicated to her. Sarah and Chris are 16 and Wyatt is 18.**

**I don't own Charmed but I do own Sarah.

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**

Chris blinked as his alarm blared. With a groan he rolled over and slammed his hand down onto the snooze button. It was too early to be awake. Especially on a Saturday.

Normally, he would be up at this moment and be stuck with the suicide mission of waking Sarah up so they could get to Magic School on time but after an 'accidental' explosion he and Sarah had caused last week, Magic School was closed until further notice.

As his head dropped down onto his pillow he realized the inevitable. There was no way he was getting back to sleep.

Dragging himself out of bed, he grabbed clean clothes and made his way to the bathroom he shared with Wyatt, Henry and Sarah. Sarah had proclaimed that she would be sharing a bathroom with them and had pointed out that it was easier sharing a bathroom with three guys than five girls.

As he was trying to tame his mass of brown hair, his eyes caught a big red circle on the calendar, courtesy of Sarah.

"Oh you have got to be kidding." He mumbled.

Wyatt entered the bathroom and glanced at his baby brother.

"What?"

"Calendar!" Chris groaned. Why of all days did it have to be today?

Wyatt saw the look on his brother's face and then his eyes fell on the calendar.

"Oh no!"

Every month the same thing happened. Every female in the Halliwell household would spend the day moaning and complaining about anything that crossed their path. They would stuff themselves stupid and take pleasure in asking the males of the household questions that there was no right answer to.

"_Do I look fat in this?"_

"_What should I wear tomorrow?"_

"_Why don't you ever answer me?"_

While all of this was happening, Sarah sat back in her chair and laughed her head off at them. She was the only normal female in the manor during this time.

With a sigh, Chris and Wyatt made their way downstairs and into the kitchen. As suspected, their cousins and Aunts were already awake.

And they looked pissed.

Deciding it was better to _not _say anything; the two brothers slipped into their seats and accepted the pancakes their Aunt was offering.

"Thanks Aunt Phoebe." Wyatt said with a small smile.

Phoebe just forced a smile and Chris looked up.

"Hey Aunt Paige can you pass me the…" Chris didn't get a chance to finish his sentence before his Aunt disappeared in a shower of blue orbs.

"What happened? Where'd she go!?" Phoenix exclaimed.

Chris held up his hands, clearly trying to illustrate that he had nothing to do with her disappearance.

There were heavy footsteps on the stairs and Sarah emerged in the kitchen. Her blue jeans were ripped at the knees and her dark blue top was hanging off her shoulders. But that wasn't what caught the attention of the room.

"Um, Sarah? Your hair is…" Melinda began.

"Blue? Oh yes I know! Fascinating isn't it? I have a _lovely _new power! I can change my appearance- isn't that just _nifty!_"

Her hair was blue indeed. Bright blue.

Chris raised an eyebrow at his friend and she stuck out her tongue.

Sarah walked across the kitchen and sat herself next to Chris, taking a pancake off his plate and taking a bite.

"Hey! That was mine!" he complained.

Wyatt rolled his eyes at the pair but kept his mouth shut. It was far too much fun to watch these two.

"_Was_ yours Halliwell. You snooze you lose!"

There was a swirl of orbs and Paige reappeared in the kitchen.

"I'm okay!" she called happily; she looked around the kitchen, "My God! Sarah your hair is blue!"

The girl in question giggled and reached out to take another pancake, earning a light slap on the hand from Chris.

"Hey! I wanted that!" she whined.

"Well it's mine! Get your own." He retorted.

The tension in the air from the women in the room had ceased as they watched the pair 'argue'. Normally they eased their hormones while watching soap operas as a family but this was _much, much _better.

"No fair! All the other ones are smaller! We're best friends and we share everything! I will now proceed to pout!" she stuck out her lower lip and it trembled a little.

Chris rolled his eyes at her childish behaviour. Then again, he didn't really blame her. Every other female had an excuse to be childish and bitchy all in the space of ten seconds today, so why couldn't she be a little childish?

"I will make you a bigger pancake later then. _If _you stop eating my food now." He reassured her.

"Okay! Pouting gone!" she smiled brilliantly and Chris returned to his breakfast, a small smile on his face.

Wyatt rolled his eyes at the clueless pair while the women in the room chuckled. Sarah had Chris wrapped around her little finger.

They watched as Sarah slowly inched her hands towards Chris's pancakes only to be slapped away again. This time he grabbed her hand and pulled her closer, tickling her sides. She shrieked with laughter and tried in vain to escape, but Chris wasn't letting go any time soon. Phoebe saw Melinda, Prue, Patricia Pandora and Phoenix placing bets on who was going to win. Most of the money was on Sarah.

Sure enough, Sarah squirmed her way out of Chris's grasp and grabbed Chris's last pancake, happily munching away on it while Chris shook his head.

Yep, it was shaping up to be a normal day in the Halliwell household.

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**Wow, that came out worse than I expected. But, that is how I picture a normal day at the manor in the future. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it. **


	2. Always

The Halliwell manor was quiet. Many of them sat around the table. They had lost an innocent.

Wyatt came down the stairs and glanced around.

"He won't even open his door for me." He said sadly.

The innocent Chris had been protecting was attacked by a demon and he hadn't been able to kill it before it delivered a fatal blow to her head.

He hadn't left his room since they returned.

Paige and Phoebe knew what he was going through, they had lost innocents too.

"We should probably just leave him." Phoebe stated quietly.

All of the children had gone to bed about an hour ago. Now the only ones left were Wyatt, Sarah, Phoenix, Paige and Phoebe.

Sarah glanced out of the window and sighed.

"I'm going to bed." She announced quietly.

They all said goodnight and Sarah walked down the hallway, passing through the wall that led to the wing where Chris, Wyatt and herself slept.

Looking at her door and back to Chris's she sighed and knocked on his door.

"Go away Wyatt." He said from inside, his voice was scratchy and weak.

"It's me." She whispered to the door.

There was silence before a click was heard and the door creaked open. Chris lowered his hand from his position at the window and returned to gazing at the stars.

Sarah sat down next to him and he glanced at her, his eyes pale pink.

"I tried to save her." He whispered remorsefully.

"I know." She whispered back. Sarah placed a hand on his cheek and he leant against her. She didn't say anything else.

She didn't have to.

**XxX**

Wyatt walked down the hallway and gently pushed open Sarah's door. When he saw her empty bed there was a moment of panic before he realized she was probably in Chris's room.

Sneaking over to his brother's door, Wyatt tried the doorknob, only to have the door swing open to reveal the sleeping pair inside.

He smiled softly and put a blanket over their sleeping forms.

They were so cute together… too bad they didn't know it.

As soon as the door behind him clicked shut, Chris opened his eye and looked down at his sleeping friend.

"I love you Spazzy." He whispered quietly to her. The girl in question shifted in her sleep before her fingers curled around his shirt and she put her head on his chest.

He was there for her… and she was there for him.

Always.


	3. Under the Bed

**Hey y'all! Sorry about the delay on Everto Dea but I'm having some serious writer's block. Anyway, thanks for the faves and alerts and reviews! Anything you'd like to see in the past? The day after Sarah died? How Sarah coped when her mother died? PM me with requests, that's what this fic was for!

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Another hectic day in the Halliwell household was drawing to a close. Wyatt was scoffing down his dinner like it was his last meal; Phoenix was eyeing her broccoli with distaste while Henry Jr. sat at the table, listening to his sisters and cousins giggle about the boy next door.

Sarah was in the shower at this point in time, washing out the slime Chris had gotten into her hair during the food fight while making dinner.

She had been unusually quite for the past few weeks and Chris was beginning to worry.

The thud of her combat boots on the stairs was heard before she arrived in the kitchen.

"Sarah? Are you okay?" Chris asked.

At the mention of her name, the entire table stopped. Conversations between Chris and Sarah were far better than any soap opera on television.

"Hmm?"

"Are you okay? You've been pretty quiet."

"Oh yeah I'm fine. I just haven't gotten much sleep that's all." She waved a dismissive hand and grabbed her plate from the bench.

"Why not?" Wyatt asked with a mouthful of food, making it sound more like, "fye fot?"

She raised an eyebrow and swirled her hair around her finger; a nervous habit that Chris knew all too well.

"It's nothing… it's just… never mind, it's stupid."

"C'mon Sarah, tell us!" Prue encouraged.

"Well… I think maybe there's a… monster under my bed."

There was total silence before Wyatt began to snicker. This set everyone at the table off- even Chris.

Sarah crossed her arms and huffed impatiently while everyone laughed at her.

"A….Monster?" Paige choked out.

"Well I go to sleep and I feel like something's watching me. It's creepy!"

"Maybe it's that poster you have on your wall, you know, the vampire woman?"

"It's not that! I'm telling you it's…" she trailed off and shook her head. "Don't worry, I'm probably imagining it."

They ate their dinner and made jokes as usual. Sarah excused herself from the table about fifteen minutes later.

Phoebe looked at the occupants of the table.

"Do you think she's okay?"

Chris nodded, "She should be. Maybe she's just tired."

Sure enough, when Wyatt went to check on her later, she was laying on her bed. Fast asleep.

**XxX**

It was customary in the Halliwell household to have family game nights. The remaining Halliwells were playing the dreaded "LIFE"

"HAHA! Sucked in Wyatt!" Melinda yelled as Wyatt added the ninth tiny child to his car.

As the laughter died down at Wyatt's misfortune, there was a loud roar followed by a feminine scream.

It took Chris and Wyatt all of two seconds to be halfway up the stairs, the rest soon following. As they ran towards Sarah's room there was a loud bang and then silence. Wyatt slammed the door open and rushed inside to find Sarah sitting on her bed, hands frozen in mid-air. They all looked across the room just in time to see a large demon burst into flame.

"I knew it!" Sarah gasped.

Chris hurried over and began checking her for injuries while everyone stared blankly at Sarah.

"What happened?" Paige gasped.

Sarah waved a hand in the air and began to explain.

"Well I was sleeping when I heard something under my bed that woke me up. I thought you guys were right and it was just my imagination but then something jumped out at me so I threw up my hand and…well…you know."

"So-so- so there really _was _something under your bed?" Wyatt said slowly.

"Uh-huh!"

They all shared a glance and Paige looked around the room.

"Okay, Pheebs and I will check the house for any more. You guys go to the kitchen and get some hot chocolate or something."

Everyone filed out of Sarah's room except for Chris. He looked at Sarah and sighed apologetically.

"I'm sorry! I should have believed you!"

"No problem Halliwell." She giggled.

"I'll believe you next time!"

"That's okay! All is forgiven! Just… do me one favour?"

"Anything!" Chris assured her.

Sarah bit her lip, "Can I sleep in your room tonight?"

Chris smiled softly, "Sure thing Spazzy."

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**A/N- And so concludes 'Under the Bed'! Drop a review on ya way out would'ya? **


	4. New Year and Snow

**Disclaimer- If I owned Charmed there would be no Billie, no Christie, Cole wouldn't have died and Sarah would be real. **

The Halliwell household was alive with laughter and joy as Wyatt chased Phoenix around the room to get his CD back. Paige and Phoebe watched from the corner while Wyatt's cousins cheered Phoenix on. There was so much fun in fact that no one seemed to notice the absence of two family members.

Chris and Sarah were sitting in the garden outside on the stone benches. Because of Sarah's mild 'control loss' earlier that week, this New Year's Eve was rather… snowy.

Sarah giggled as Chris raked a hand through his hair to rid it of snow flakes.

"I don't see the problem with snow Halliwell."

"I have no problem with snow. I just don't like it in my hair. It makes my scalp numb."

Sarah shook her head and glanced inside at the family.

"They look like they're having fun." She commented.

"Then why are you out here?"

"You're out here too." She pointed out.

"Yes, but I know why I am out here. It is so I can see why you aren't in there."

"I just… wanted to be out here. I like the snow."

"Why am I sensing that there is more to that?" he asked quietly, breath coming out in puffs of cold air.

"Maybe because there is." She replied, glancing down at the snow.

"Will you tell me?"

Sarah sighed and bit her lip before opening her mouth, "I was just thinking about some things."

"What things?"

"Just random things. People, places, life in general."

"Hmmm."

"What Hmmm?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"No, there was something behind that 'hmmm' Chris and I intend to find out what it was!"

"Oh really? And how do you intend on doing that?" he challenged.

Sarah raised an eyebrow and then pouted, her eyes shining.

"Oh no! That look has no effect on me!"

"But Chrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!" she whined.

"No!"

"Plllllllllllllllllllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!"

"Fine! Fine! Just stop dragging out your words!" he caved, knowing she could- and would- go on for as long as necessary.

"So then Halliwell, what was the meaning of the hmmm?"

"I just meant that you seem to be distant lately."

"Sorry about that. I just think my powers are all catching up on me. I just sometimes need to relax and get away from everything."

"Okay then. Do you want me to go?"

Chris knew that she was telling him the truth. He always could. He also knew that sometimes Sarah would need time by herself. She couldn't always tell him everything; what with him being a guy and all, but she did tell him when something major was on her mind.

"No, you can stay if you'd like. But I want you to do one thing with me first." She grinned.

"What?" he asked suspiciously.

"Make a snow angel?" she asked innocently.

Chris smiled at her and decided that seeing as her powers had accidentally conjured the snow; it wouldn't hurt to use it while it was here.

He grabbed her hand, dragged her to a small clearing of snow and they lay down. Spreading out their arms and legs, they began to create their snow angels.

After a few minutes, Chris orbed himself out of his angel so he didn't destroy it and looked down. Sarah flamed out and stood next to him.

"I think they're pretty." She announced as she looked at them.

"Hmmm, I don't know. Yours needs something." Chris said slyly.

"What?"

Chris mumbled something under his breath and her angel suddenly grew horns and a tail.

"CHRIS!" she shrieked, whacking him on the arm. Chris ducked and ran, Sarah following after him. She caught up to him and tackled him into the snow.

"That was mean!" she laughed as she playfully smacked his chest.

"Okay, okay I'm sorry! Let me make it up to you."

He stood up and turned to Sarah.

"May I have this dance?" he asked politely.

Sarah laughed, "But there's no music."

"Who needs music?"

"But you hate dancing." She replied.

"But you don't."

Sarah smiled and took his hand, "Well in that case you most certainly may."

They danced around the garden and Sarah giggled as Chris spun her around and dipped her so that she almost hit the ground.

She gave a slight gasp as he dipped her and as his hand stopped her from falling he grinned.

"What's the matter? Don't trust me?" he whispered.

She shook her head and gave him a grin of her own, "Oh no. I trust you."

He brought her back up and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her watch beeped midnight and she smiled up at him.

"Happy New Year Halliwell."

"Happy New Year Spazzy."

XxX

Phoebe stood in the doorway, hot chocolate in hand as she stared out into the garden.

Paige came up behind her and looked at her sister, "What's wrong?"

"I love the snow." Phoebe replied, sipping her drink.

"Why?"

"Because good things happen when it snows."

Paige followed her sister's gaze and smiled when she saw the pair dancing in the garden.

"I think you may be right Pheebs. Good things _do _happen when it snows."

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**A/N- Can I get an AWWWWW? And a review?**


	5. Plastic Rings

**A/N- Okay someone wanted to see little Chris and Sarah so in this one they are both five.**

Amanda Sparrow sipped her coffee and smiled. It had been ten months since she met the Halliwells at Magic School and since then Chris and Sarah had already become inseparable. Play dates every afternoon and sleepovers every other weekend.

Tonight Sarah and Amanda were going to stay for dinner and then Sarah was going to stay over at the manor. Amanda took another sip of her drink and laughed when Phoebe looked at the cup with longing.

"I would love a cup of coffee right now. But, not drinking it will be worth it."

Phoebe put a hand on her seventh month along stomach and smiled; a faraway look in her eyes.

Amanda smiled sadly as she looked at Phoebe. Piper and Paige were also watching Phoebe but with a look of sisterly joy. Phoebe's first child was on the way and they couldn't be happier.

Amanda sometimes felt left out, being the only one of her friends not to have experienced the joys of pregnancy. But she was still very grateful to have Sarah now. Speaking of Sarah…

"MOMMY! MOMMY! MOMMY!" 

Sarah came running into the kitchen, latching herself onto Amanda's leg.

"What is it sweetie?"

Chris came running in as well and he took Sarah's hand.

"We're getting married." They announced proudly.

Phoebe and Paige smiled at the pair and Piper grinned.

"Oh really?"

Sarah nodded and held out her hand, which displayed a silver ring with a small green plastic gem in the middle.

"Yep. We're gonna get married and get really old together."

Amanda giggled and ruffled Sarah's hair, "Well then chickadee; you better start planning. Are you going to wear a white dress?"

Sarah screwed up her nose, "Nuh-uh! My dress is going to be red! And we're going to have lilies for flowers because roses are dumb!"

The women laughed at Sarah's desire to be unique.

Chris cleared his throat and everyone looked at him.

"But we're going to wait until we're older. We want to wait until we think the time is right."

All four women nodded and Chris and Sarah skipped away. Whether it was to plan their future wedding or to put jelly in Wyatt's shoes, nobody was sure.

---

Sarah kept the ring. She took it everywhere with her. But nobody knows that. Not even Chris.

Every day, without fail, Sarah would put the ring into her pocket.

She didn't tell Chris though. She doubted he even remembered. Maybe one day she'd remind him.

When the time was right.


	6. Weddings and Promises

"Ladies! Time to throw the bouquet!" A tipsy woman yelled from the bar.

The Halliwells had been invited to a wedding and after a long ceremony, they were sitting in the Reception Hall listening to people they didn't know babble on about things they didn't quite understand.

They didn't know these people. Phoebe had written advice to the bride in her column and when her husband proposed, the woman had insisted that Phoebe and her family attend the service.

"Go on Sarah, "Paige encouraged the young woman, "You're eighteen. Wedding bells could be in the near future."

Wyatt choked on his drink and Chris thumped him on the back. When Wyatt regained his usual breathing pattern, he glanced at Sarah.

"Wedding Bells _aren't _in the near future for you are they Sarah?" he said dangerously.

Sarah smiled softly at Wyatt's protectiveness before shaking her head.

"No Wyatt. In order to _get_ married you must first have a guy _to_ marry."

With that said, Wyatt relaxed back into his chair.

"Still, it's worth a go." Phoebe encouraged. The majority of the Halliwell clan was at the manor, having caught the flu that was going around.

Sarah sighed and got out of her chair, smoothed down her dress and headed towards the (slightly tipsy) group of women in the centre of the dance floor.

Chris and Wyatt watched as many male heads turned in her direction. Wyatt shot warning glares at all of them and they backed off.

"Ready?" The bride called.

Chris saw Sarah mumble something under her breath and rolled her eyes.

"One…Two…Three!" The bride tossed the bouquet over her shoulder and many of the girls screeched and dived for it. Sarah stretched out her hand and caught the bouquet. All the women groaned and Sarah laughed as the people clapped.

She headed back towards the table and Paige smiled.

"No wedding bells in the future hey Sarah?"

Sarah smirked and placed the flowers on the table. They were white roses.

"Roses are lame." Sarah commented.

Chris raised an eyebrow, "That was random."

"Well they are. Roses are always there to symbolize love or friendship and blah, blah, blah. It is so overdone."

"What would you prefer then?"

"I like bluebells and lilies."

"Why?"

"They're different."

Chris nodded and the groom stumbled up onto the stage.

"Time for me to throw the garter! All you unmarried men get over here!"

Sarah pushed Chris on the shoulder. He raised an eyebrow and shook his head, sipping his lemonade.

"Wyatt?" Sarah asked.

"No thanks Sarah. I'll sit this one out."

Sarah smiled evilly and sighed, "Oh well, whoever catches this is, traditionally, meant to dance with me. But these all seem like lovely people so I'm sure I'll be fine."

Wyatt paused and cast an eye around the room. A lot of the men seemed to be eying Sarah.

"Right then. Come on Chris. Let's go."

Before Chris could protest, Wyatt had seized him by the arm and pulled him onto the floor.

"One…" Before he had even reached two, the groom threw the garter over his head.

Right into Chris hands.

A few of the men whistled and Sarah stood up.

"Well then Halliwell, I guess you're meant to dance with me."

"I don't dance." He replied stubbornly.

"You do now."

Sarah wrapped her arms around Chris's neck and he placed his hands gently on her waist.

"I don't like dancing." He complained.

"Then you shouldn't have caught the garter."

"I didn't mean to, the guy just sort of threw it at me. Besides, better me than someone Wyatt will probably beat up later."

Sarah nodded thoughtfully, "Fair point."

Chris smiled and they continued to dance. When the song ended, they walked back to the table and Sarah took the bouquet and grabbed Chris's hand, pulling him outside to the garden.

Wyatt watched as they walked away and Paige sighed.

"Wyatt, Chris won't try anything."

"I know. But Sarah's still like a sister to me. I don't want her getting hurt."

Sarah pulled Chris through the garden and the flowers that lined the paths. He could hear water trickling and realized that they must be near the fountain he saw when they arrived.

"Sarah why did you bring me out here?" he questioned as Sarah sat on the edge of the fountain.

"Because it's pretty out here."

Chris sat down beside her and she pulled a rose from the bouquet.

"Purity." She said shortly.

"What?" Chris asked.

Sarah held out the rose.

"It means purity. White and thorn less means purity and love at first sight."

"Wow."

Sarah nodded and began to pluck the petals off the rose. She threw each one into the fountain and watched them float away.

Chris looked down at the garter in his hand and back at Sarah.

"Hey Sarah? Can I do something?"

"What?" she asked suspiciously.

"It's just a wedding tradition." He reassured her.

"Sure. Go ahead."

Chris got on his knees and gently put his hand on her ankle.

"What are you doing!?" Sarah said, slightly shocked.

"Putting the garter on you Spaz. It's tradition. Remember when Wyatt had to do it to that woman a few years back? He nearly died of embarrassment? If you don't want me to do it I won't but-"

"No. It's okay! You just gave me a bit of a scare here for a second. I thought you might push me into the fountain."

"Would I do that?"

Sarah raised an eyebrow at him and Chris shrugged.

"Okay fair enough."

He slid the garter onto her leg and Sarah smiled.

"Hey. Reckon at your wedding I could be your best woman?" she asked suddenly.

"Best woman?" Chris said slowly.

"Yeah. Wyatt's obviously going to be your best man and your bride will probably want a friend of hers to be her bridesmaids and maid of honor and all that. So can I be your best woman?"

Chris thought about it and nodded, "Sure, why not? You can be my best woman at my wedding."

"YAY!" Sarah clapped her hands and laughed.

"So, what about me at yours?"

"Urgh. Chrissy what makes you think that _any_ guy is going to make it past you and Wyatt?"

Chris laughed and took her hand, "Someone will make it past the manor's threshold for you one day Sarah. You wait. He'll probably end up being right under your nose the entire time. Wyatt will love him and he'll get along with everyone."

"I really hope you're right Chris." Sarah said softly as she gazed up at the fairy lights in the garden.

"So?"

"What so?"

"What can I be at your wedding? Man of honor?"

Sarah giggled and pushed her hair behind her ear, "No. Wyatt's giving me away so I think maybe you could _both _give me away. Seeing as you're both as protective as a father. I can see it now, me walking down the isle with you and Wyatt on each arm. The girls at Magic School would be so jealous."

Chris laughed and they fell into a comfortable silence.

"Wow." Chris spoke softly.

"What?"

"I just realized something. We're really getting older. Soon we'll graduate and go to College, then get married and have kids of our own."

"Maybe you will." Sarah whispered.

Chris realized what he had said and began to correct himself, "Oh God! Sarah I didn't-"

"No, no! It's good, really I'm fine."

"Sorry."

"Don't be. I figure I'll adopt someone. Like mom did with me."

"Then our kids can be best friends?" Chris enquired.

"Forever and ever." Sarah smiled back.

They lapsed into silence once again before Sarah began to speak.

"This was one really cliché wedding."

"Why?"

"All white and fluffy and… did you _see_ all of that lace? I thought I was going to pass out. Not to mention the reception party. Was that guy really offering to give lap dances on the bar?"

"Yep. Sad thing was I think he was sober." Chris remarked.

"Hmm. Hey Chris? We've been friends for how long?"

"Thirteen years." He replied.

'_Thirteen years, seven months, three weeks and five days.' _Something in his head whispered.

Sarah sighed, "Wow. Do you think we'll be friends forever?"

Chris nodded, "Of course we will. We'll sit in our rocking chairs together and complain about the children of the time wasting their youth."

"Promise?" Sarah grinned.

"Promise." He replied.

"Pinky swear that we will grow old and gray together? Complain and die together?"

Chris hooked his pinky with hers, "I promise you Serenity Elizabeth Sparrow that we will grow old and gray, complain and die together. Do you promise me the same thing?"

"Course I do Christopher Perry Halliwell." She smiled, lacing their pinkies together even tighter.

That was the only promise Sarah ever broke.

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**A/N- Just to clear anything up, tradition goes that whoever catches the garter and bouquet share the next dance. There is also another tradition where the man puts the garter on the women. I figured I'd do both. For anyone who doesn't know, people say whoever catches the bouquet or garter is the next to marry. By the way, Sarah's favourite flowers were not chosen at random.**

**Lily****- resurrection, purity, beauty**

**Bluebells- ****constancy**

**The ending came out a whole lot more different than what I expected. It kind of went off subject but I felt that conversation needed to be had between them. I had it in my head for weeks and ended up rewriting it over (literally) thirty to forty times. I still don't like the end result but I'd like to know what you think. **


	7. Nightmares and Reassurance

_Soft footsteps echoed through the manor and Sarah kept quiet in her hiding spot, potions gripped firmly in hand. The cloaked figure had arrived a few hours ago. Sarah had been forced to watch as everyone she loved died. And now she was out for revenge._

_Whoever this was- they were powerful._

_Sarah heard the footsteps stop and she held her breath. The cloaked figure turned and began to head her way._

_Sarah cursed and ran, not caring if they heard her. Even though she was running, the footsteps behind her remained calm and even._

_Sarah rushed down the stairs and entered the kitchen. She gasped and choked back a sob._

_Chris's dead body was lying on the floor. Phoebe, Paige and Wyatt were all slumped over the kitchen table. Memories flashed up in her mind, but Sarah pushed them away. _

_Sarah looked around wildly as the footsteps became closer to where she was standing. She whipped around to find nothing but empty air._

"_I'm going to destroy you!" she shouted, tears running down her cheeks._

"_You can't do that." A soft voice whispered in her ear. Sarah turned to find the cloaked figure standing behind her._

"_Why not?" Sarah challenged, raising her hand._

_The figure laughed mockingly and lowered the hood from their face._

_It was Sarah._

_Practically identical to the other. But this one had pools of onyx for eyes, and flames that danced happily in them._

"_Because I am you." She whispered harshly._

* * *

Sarah jerked away and took deep breaths. Her body was soaked in sweat. She shuddered and looked down at her wrist. It was smooth, not a blemish of red or black. Getting out of bed, she walked to the mirror and stared at her reflection. Green Eyes.

She calmed herself down and hugged Avalon to her chest.

She was okay. She wasn't evil.

'_But you are.' _Something inside her hissed.

"I'm good." She said weakly to her reflection.

'_Are you? Deep inside, are you really good? You have the blood of a demon running your veins. Just how good are you?'_

Sarah looked doubtfully at the mirror for a moment, almost seeing her reflection flash to a black-eyed murderess.

She watched in horror as her reflection seemed to smirk at her and gently reach out to touch the mirror, her fingers sliding right through the glass to climb out.

Sarah snapped up her head and shook it. She glanced uneasily at the mirror and saw nothing but her ordinary reflection.

It was all in her head.

Even so, she needed to talk to someone. Only one name came to mind.

"Chris." She breathed as she headed out the door.

* * *

Chris slowly opened his eyes and blinked at his clock. The number 2:08AM glared back. With a roll of his eyes, he threw off his covers and headed toward the door. Turning the handle, he pulled it open and found Sarah on the other side.

Her feet were bare and her hair was mussed, she was clutching Avalon to her chest. But none of this caught Chris's attention. It was the look of pure vulnerability in her eyes that did.

He stepped back from the door and allowed her to enter.

"Come on in Spaz."

Sarah crossed through the door and set herself comfortably on his bed.

"What's wrong Sarah?" he asked. Sarah was _never _awake at two o'clock in the morning. Never.

She kept silent and fiddled with Avalon for a moment before she mumbled something undecipherable under her breath.

"What was that?" Chris asked as he sat beside her.

She glanced up at him, and Chris saw (with alarm) that she had tears in her eyes.

"Am-am I evil Chris?"

That question threw him off guard.

"Of course not Sarah? Why would you think something like that?"

Sarah seemed to hesitate before she told him all about her nightmare and the incident with the mirror.

"And I just though that maybe-maybe it was right. I _am _evil inside." She finished.

Chris pulled her to his bare chest and hugged her tightly.

"Sarah. You _are not_ evil. You are one of the nicest people I have ever met."

"I'm half Source!" she protested.

Chris moved hair out of her eyes and stared into them, "You're also half Goddess. And the good far outweighs the bad Serenity."

Sarah started. Chris had never called her by her first name unless he was joking around. But this was dead serious.

"Really?" she asked quietly, feeling incredibly stupid for waking him up at an ungodly hour for something that wasn't really anything at all.

"Really Sarah." He smiled back.

Sarah smiled weakly and then she took in her surroundings.

She was sitting on Chris's bed, in the middle of the night, in her silk pyjamas. Chris didn't have a shirt on and was hugging her. A light blush crossed her cheeks and she prayed Chris couldn't see it.

"Chris? Could I…maybe…uh…" she stammered, wondering what was going on with her around him these days.

"Sure Sarah." He said quietly.

Chris moved over in his bed and raised the blanket to allow her to slip under the covers. She snuggled under the blankets and Chris wound a strand of her hair around his fingertip. She smiled as his finger brushed against her neck and he whispered an apology.

"S'okay." She mumbled, her eyelids growing heavy.

"Good night Sarah." Chris whispered.

"Good night Chris."

He heard her breathing even and her muscles relaxed. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and smiled.

"Sweet dreams."

* * *

**A/N- Plot bunnies. Giant Hammer. Fluff. Review?**


	8. Presents and Punches

A seven year old Chris and Sarah blew out the candles on their cake as their friends clapped and cheered. Sarah (with heavy supervision) took the knife from Amanda's hands and sliced through the cake.

"SMILE!" Piper called to them. Sarah and Chris's faces lit up and Piper took the photo.

After the cake was distributed to the ten seven year olds, the adults sat back in their chairs and relaxed while the children went off to open their presents not too far away.

Wyatt was supervising them while they did this (or so he thought). Even though he seemed to have a firm handle on things, all of the adults were keeping a close eye on the children.

"Aw! They're seven already! Seems like yesterday they were being born don't you think?" Shelia asked, placing her hand on Darryl's arm.

Piper nodded but Amanda remained silent.

"Oh! Sorry Amanda! I didn't think-"

"No! No! It's okay, really. It does seem like yesterday I first saw Sarah in the hospital. She was so little and she's growing up so fast!" she sniffed, sipping her coffee.

All eyes turned to the group of children a few feet from them. All of the girls were on one side while the boys had taken up another. Sarah and Chris were sitting side by side while they opened their presents.

All was going rather well, the party was coming to a close and they were down to the last of the presents.

Chris had opened his present from Sarah (a triquetra charm on a piece of string) and Sarah was opening hers from Chris. Inside was a set of small, black and red bracelets that he had seen Sarah staring at when they were in town the other week.

She giggled and slipped them onto her wrist before hugging Chris tightly.

The girls all wrinkled their noses and the boys snickered.

Peter Jenkins stepped forward and pointed at them.

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Chris's got a _girlfriend_!" he taunted.

The boys laughed and Mrs. Jenkins frowned.

"Peter! That's not very nice!"

A young girl giggled nervously and Sarah shot her a glare.

Peter laughed again and looked at the pair.

"Sarah and Chris sitting in tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" the rest of the group joined in and Sarah's dark glare deepened.

"Shut up!" she yelled, fists clenching at her sides.

The sisters and Amanda could sense some serious rage coming from Chris and Sarah, but Sarah's was far larger.

"Peter Timothy Jenkins!" Mrs. Jenkins scolded. "Take that back right now or there will be NO dessert tonight!"

Peter kept laughing and Sarah raised her fist.

"I'll hit you!" she yelled.

"Sarah!" Amanda warned.

"You don't have the guts!" Peter taunted.

Sarah bit her lip and turned around, preparing to walk away.

"BABY!" they all yelled.

Amanda saw Sarah's eyes flash and before she could stop it, Sarah had whipped around and sent her fist right into Peter's face, bangles clanging happily on her wrist.

* * *

**XxX**

* * *

Sarah sighed for the third time that minute as she stared at her clock. She'd been sentenced to three hours lockdown in her room. She hadn't _meant _to punch him. It was an accident!

Unfortunately, Amanda did not think so.

Sarah sighed again and looked at the bangles on her wrist.

Orbs filled the room and Chris appeared.

"CHRIS!" Sarah exclaimed.

"Shhhh! Mom said I'm not meant to be here!" he whispered.

Sarah lowered her voice and leant forward, "Why are you here?"

"Because I didn't get to give you all of your birthday present!"

"What's the rest of it?"

Chris pulled out a small pair of earrings from his pocket and Sarah gasped. She'd gotten her ears pierced last month and was finally allowed to change her earrings, but she didn't have anything to change them to.

"Mommy said to get you those ones because they'd match your eyes." He announced proudly.

Sarah smiled at him and put them on her dresser.

Sarah's door swung open and three sisters walked in, followed closely by Amanda.

"Christopher Perry Halliwell." Piper said warningly.

"I had to give her the present!" he whined.

Piper's eyes softened a little and she sighed.

"Okay then, fine. But home. Now!"

Chris orbed out and the four women sat on Sarah's bed.

"Sarah," Amanda began, "I'm very disappointed in you for punching him."

"I'm sorry mommy. But I _did _warn him." She protested.

Paige laughed and Phoebe nudged her.

Amanda smiled and stroked Sarah's hair.

"Okay sweetie, I think you've learned your lesson for now. Go downstairs and play."

Sarah jumped off the bed and headed for the door, but Piper's voice stopped her.

"Oh Sarah!" she called, making Amanda and her sisters look up as well.

"Yes Piper?" Sarah asked innocently.

"Nice punch." She smiled.

Sarah grinned and nodded.

"Thanks, Wyatt taught it to me."

* * *

**A/N- Random.**


	9. Lavender Potions and Friends

Wyatt Matthew Halliwell had trouble understanding three things.

**Math**. He didn't see the point in knowing what happens when you multiply _a _by 3 to get the sum of 7x6. To him it was all numbers on a page.

**Women**. The mood swings, the hormones. The shoes. They were mysteries of life that even he, the Twice Blessed, would never understand fully.

**Chris**. That's right. Wyatt Halliwell had trouble understanding his own brother. He and Chris got along great, but there were some things that Wyatt never truly understood.

For one, Chris loved the smell of lavender, but Wyatt never knew why. Whenever they were looking for flowers, if Chris saw it he would stop and smell it. When Wyatt asked him about it, Chris had just replied that lavender made him feel happy.

Secondly, Chris always carried a potion on him at all times. Wyatt knew it was for protection, but he didn't see the point in it. Chris had powers and exceptional fighting skills, so why carry a potion for protection?

And finally, Chris had a beautiful girl as a best friend. And they were _just _friends. Wyatt could tell that they liked each other- he just couldn't work out why they didn't say anything. Sarah was one hell of a girl, and Chris was one of the few guys Wyatt would allow Sarah to date without him making their relationship a living hell.

He never fully understood his brother…

Until the week he actually paid close attention.

* * *

**LAVENDER**

* * *

Wyatt pushed the trolley long and sighed as he threw in three cans of crushed tomatoes. He and Chris had been roped into doing ALL of the families shopping since they had been busted stealing Paige's cookies off the plate.

They had dragged Sarah along as well because there were a few _items _on the list that they both point blank refused to buy.

"Okay," Wyatt said to Chris and Sarah, "next on the list we have Tamp- Sarah's job!"

Sarah rolled her eyes and headed off to the isle to grab the item. Wyatt continued to push the trolley with Chris beside him.

"What else Wy?" Chris asked as he threw in a bag of icing sugar.

"After Sarah gets what we need that's all." He replied distractedly.

Sarah's boots clicked along the floor as she dumped a selection of little boxes into the cart.

"There you big babies!" she giggled.

Wyatt watched as she also placed shampoo and conditioner into the cart and a small bottle of body wash.

"That's not on the list." He pointed out.

"I know but I need more. I have the oddest feeling that one of your cousins keeps borrowing my stuff without telling me and forgetting to tell me it's empty. I don't care if they borrow it, I just wish they'd let me know when it was all gone!"

Wyatt nodded and as they approached the checkout he began to load the items onto the counter.

"Apples, oranges, icing sugar, tamp- girl stuff, girl stuff, girl stuff, lavender shampoo and conditioner, lavender body wash- wait-" he paused and looked at the bottle in his hand.

"Lavender?" He asked Sarah.

She nodded and continued to load the items onto the counter.

"I always use lavender. Haven't you noticed? I occasionally use raspberry but I like lavender better." She shrugged and handed over the money.

As Wyatt was carrying out the bags he stole a glance at Chris and Sarah. Sarah was laughing and Chris was grinning at his friend.

"_Lavender makes me feel happy."_

Wyatt finally understood why Chris liked Lavender so much.

* * *

**POTION**

* * *

Wyatt, Sarah and Chris were leaving school one afternoon when Wyatt felt like someone was watching him. He surveyed their surroundings and cursed himself for taking the shortcut back to the manor via the alleyway on the street. Innocents and Alleys- they just don't mix.

Out of nowhere, three demons attacked them. Wyatt immediately threw his into a wall and blew it up. Sarah and Chris had been caught off guard and were both knocked to the ground. Chris ducked a blow and as the demon swung his claws towards him. Chris noticed that Sarah was trapped by a demon and she was very close to becoming demon meat. He pulled the potion from his pocket and threw it at the demon that was attacking her. It went up in flames and Chris was knocked off his feet by a set of sharp claws. Sarah blew up the creature and rushed over to Chris.

Wyatt knew that Chris could have used the potion to save his own ass. But instead he used it to help Sarah. That was why he carried it.

The potion wasn't to protect him.

It was to protect Sarah.

* * *

**FRIENDS**

* * *

The demons in the Underworld screamed as they burned. Wyatt lowered his hand and ran over to his brother. This was all wrong.

It was meant to be a simple demon hunt, but that quickly turned bad when they were ambushed by half of the Underworld. Chris was gasping for breath on the cold ground, blood pooling around him.

Wyatt began to heal him, but Chris's hand caught his wrist.

"N-n-no. H-h-heal Sarah fi-rs-st." he gasped. Wyatt looked around and found Sarah on the ground. Her wounds were nowhere near as severe as Chris's.

"No, Chris! Yours are worse, I have to-"

"H-heal her first!" Chris said as loudly as he could.

Wyatt orbed Sarah over to where they were and began to heal the cuts on her body. She was unconscious but still breathing, so that was a good sign.

As soon as he was done, Wyatt focused on his brother. In the time it had taken to heal Sarah, Chris's condition managed to worsen by an alarming amount.

"Wy? I-is she o-okay?" he choked out.

"Yes Chris, she's fine." He said soothingly.

"G-Good. She can't die on me. Not like this."

Wyatt shushed his brother and finished healing. As soon as he was fully patched up, Chris sat up and dragged himself over to Sarah.

He took her hand and checked her over for any small injuries while Wyatt watched. The pieces began to fit together in his mind.

He knew why they weren't together. To Chris, Sarah wasn't just a girl.

She was his best friend.

And that bond between them was stronger than any relationship Sarah and Chris could ever have.

He didn't just care about Sarah…

He loved her.

But it was in the romantic sense _and_ in the friendly way.

Sarah was more than a girl to him.

She was practically his world.

* * *

**A/N- Wow. This one is very, very random and it sort of came out of nowhere. I wanted to show how close Sarah and Chris were and how the other members of the Halliwells viewed them. But don't worry; Sarah and Chris's relationship won't take over the Wyatt and Chris brotherly-ness. In fact, the next one shot is a brotherly talk.**


	10. Brotherly Talks

Wyatt Matthew Halliwell yawned as he finished reading his book for English class. His teacher had assigned 'required reading' to his entire class at the start of the year and Wyatt was yet to actually even read the list. Chris on the other hand had _already _read each and every one of the books on the list beforehand, so Wyatt was tempted to ask his brother what each one was about and simply recount that to his teacher.

It was rather pathetic that his fifteen year old brother read more than Wyatt himself but then again- Wyatt was more the sporty type of the two. Chris preferred to spend his free periods and lunch times in the library with Sarah.

Just as Wyatt picked up his pen to start the 'required essay' a knock sounded on his door.

"Come in!" he called.

The door creaked open and Wyatt looked up to find Chris standing in the doorway.

"What is it Chris?" Wyatt asked.

"Nothing! Nothing! I just wanted to talk." Chris said evasively.

Raising an eyebrow, Wyatt gestured to the chair beside him and Chris sat down.

"And what do you want to talk about?"

Chris paused for a moment before answering, "Girls."

Wyatt smiled knowingly and crossed his arms as he leant back in his chair.

"And which lovely lady has managed to catch my picky baby brother's eye?" he questioned.

"Nobody!" Chris exclaimed hurriedly, "I just wanted to know why they're so… confusing!"

Wyatt nodded as his brother continued to talk.

"One minute they're happy and then they're sad or angry!"

"Yes Chris. Growing up in a house full of women can make you realize that."

Chris raked a hand through his already messy hand and Wyatt raised an eyebrow at the green, blue and pink lines all over his hand.

"What happened to you?" he asked, gesturing to the lines.

Chris glanced down and shrugged, "Sarah got bored in fourth period."

"And she took her boredom out on your hand?" Wyatt supplied.

"Yes." Chris shrugged.

"Huh."

"What huh?"

"Nothing."

Chris stared doubtfully at his brother before leaning back on his chair.

"Okay, so… _maybe _there is a girl I think I like…"

"I knew it!" Wyatt proclaimed, slapping his brother on the back.

"So baby brother, do I know her?"

Chris hesitated, "Yes."

"Do I like her?"

"Yes."

Wyatt scratched his head and tipped back on his chair.

"Tracey Carmichael?" he guess, naming a girl in Chris's year that he knew had a crush on Chris.

"No." Chris replied.

Wyatt clicked his tongue and crossed his arms.

"Is she older than you?" he queried.

"No. Younger." Chris replied.

Wyatt sighed, well that ruled out most of the 'Halliwell fan club' girls.

Chris leant back on his chair and crossed his arms, mimicking his older brother's position.

"Is she hot?" Wyatt asked out of the blue.

Chris shrugged, "She's…pretty."

"But she's not hot?" Wyatt said with a disbelieving look.

Chris rolled his eyes and slammed the chair back onto all fours.

"YES! She's hot okay! Now, can we stop with the twenty questions and could you tell me how to _not _like her?"

Wyatt moved his chair back to four legs and leant forward.

"_Not _like her? Why the heck would you _not _want to like her?"

"I just… she's… look Wyatt its complicated! I just can't like her."

"Does she have a boyfriend?" Wyatt asked, trying to squeeze as much information out of his brother as possible.

"Well no, but I just don't think we'd work out together. So how do I _not _like her?" he asked desperately.

Wyatt sensed the desperateness in his brother's voice and sighed.

"Okay then. You can't just not like her. If you like her, you like her. If you _don't_ want to like her, maybe your hormones are just jumping around. Try to forget about her."

"But I can't…"

Wyatt sighed, "Look Chris. I can't just click my fingers and make you forget whoever this chick is. You can't just forget about someone if you like them, you just need to find a way to get over them. I don't know how you can do that but I don't think I can help you here. I wish I could, but I can't okay?"

Chris nodded slowly and put his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry Wy, but I'm a little freaked out."

"Ah, don't worry baby brother. Same thing happened to me once. It's just hormones. Your feelings will probably pass eventually. Although if you like her _and _she's pretty; I don't see why you wouldn't want to like her."

"It's just complicated." Chris replied.

Wyatt opened his mouth to ask his brother how complicated it was when a knock sounded on his door.

"Come in!" he yelled.

The door opened and Sarah stood framed in the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt but Paige says dinner's ready."

"Sure Sarah we'll be down soon." Wyatt replied.

Sarah flashed Chris a grin and gestured to his hand.

"You better wash that off Halliwell, Phoebe's on a clean freak-out."

Chris laughed and nodded, "Okay Sarah. Seems a shame to destroy such artwork though."

"I know doesn't it?" she mocked with a giggle before disappearing out the door.

As Chris stood up from the chair, Wyatt grabbed his arm.

"Hey Chris, this girl you like… she wouldn't happen to have black hair, green eyes and one hell of a split personality?"

Chris stopped.

"Course not Wy!"

He exited the room and headed for the bathroom to clean his hands. But as his brother left, Wyatt couldn't help but notice that his brother hadn't looked him in the eyes when he answered the question.

* * *

**A/N- Sorry for the wait but I hope you liked this chapter. I'm not too sure about it though, I think it's missing something. Next time we deal with Sarah's first break-up. Thanks for the reviews and faves and alerts.**


	11. Breakups and IceCream

Wyatt and Chris orbed into the manor and Wyatt began to speak.

"Okay, we were just about to find out who was hiding in the closet when I got your call. What's the matter?"

Wyatt and Chris had been out spending some 'brotherly time' together while Sarah went out on a date with her boyfriend Drew. Wyatt was not pleased with this fact but he had accepted that seeing as she was seventeen he couldn't really stop her.

Phoebe bit her lip and thrust a plastic bag into Chris's hands.

"Here. You'll need this."

"What is it?" Chris asked, shifting his arms around the bag and feeling something cold hit his skin.

"Ice-cream and junk food and the scariest horror movies the video shop had." Paige replied, avoiding eye contact with her nephews.

"And why would we need all this?" Wyatt pressed, not liking the looks on his Aunts faces.

"Sarah just got back from her date with Drew and…"

"And WHAT?" Wyatt said, his voice become deathly quiet, "If he hurt her I'll…"

"They broke up!" Phoebe butted in.

There was total silence in the living room before Wyatt clenched his fists.

"I'm going to kill him." He stated calmly.

Paige stood up and grabbed his arm.

"NONONONONO! You have to go upstairs and talk to Sarah. She's in her room and won't let us through the door but I think you two might get through to her."

Both brothers accepted this and headed for the stairs, Chris could have sworn he heard Wyatt muttering something about a cigar cutter as they climbed the stairs and approached Sarah's door.

Chris knocked politely and there was a dull thud from inside before Sarah's voice came from behind the door.

"I don't need ice-cream guys. I'm fine!"

Wyatt rolled his eyes and pushed the door open. The sight that greeted them was rather odd. Sarah was throwing darts at a picture of Drew she had thumb tacked to the dartboard.

"Gotcha!" she exclaimed happily as the dart landed right between his eyes.

"Spaz?" Chris asked quietly.

Sarah's eyes turned on the both of them and she frowned.

"I thought you guys were at the movies?"

"Aunt Phoebe called us," Wyatt explained, "she told us what happened and wanted us to help but I see you've got quite a handle on things already."

He gestured to the dartboard where holes could already be seen in various other parts of Drew's body. Some more painful areas than others.

"Yeah. I'm good though so you guys can go back to the movies." Sarah shrugged and lay back on her bed.

"No way Firecracker. Not until you sit here and tell us why he broke up with you."

"No reason." She replied vaguely.

Wyatt arched an eyebrow and headed for the DVD player across the room.

"What are you doing?"

Wyatt eyed her as if she were insane and shrugged.

"We said we weren't leaving until you told us so I figured we could use some entertainment. _Psychotic Deathbed _or_ Darkened Immortal?_" he enquired as he named the latest horror movies.

"Surprise me." Sarah murmured dryly as she pulled up the covers of her bed and gestured for Chris and Wyatt to join her. Her bed was surprisingly big enough to fit them all.

Once the movie was on the three of them sat in silence, except for the occasional munching of chips. Towards the end of the first movie, Wyatt looked over at Sarah who was absently stroking her fingers down Chris's arm.

"Sarah?" he asked quietly.

The girl in question stopped her finger movements and looked at Wyatt.

"Yeah?"

"He didn't try anything did he?" Wyatt asked seriously.

Sarah frowned for a moment and suddenly her eyes widened in understanding.

"God no! He just…we just… he said that… never mind…"

"What?" Chris pressed.

Sarah sighed and licked her lips.

"He said that we weren't working because I had my heart set on someone else and he wouldn't be a substitution for what I couldn't have. I don't even know who I'm supposedly substituting him for!"

Wyatt felt a huge weight lift off his chest at her words. He wasn't _happy _that Drew had broken up with her but he couldn't have been more relieved to hear that he hadn't tried anything funny.

They watched the movie in peace for a good hour before Sarah looked over and found Wyatt fast asleep on her bed.

She sat up and reached over Chris, grabbing the bag and looking inside.

"Hey we forgot about the ice-cream!" she exclaimed, careful not to wake Wyatt.

"It will be melted by now." Chris pointed out tiredly.

Sarah looked down and waved her hand over the containers, the outsides coated with frost and she pulled out two containers and handed one to Chris along with a small silver spoon.

Chris opened his mouth to scold her for personal gain before he closed it and decided to let her get away with it.

He opened the lid and looked at the label.

"_Hazelnut Chocolate Fudge Triple Swirl._" He read, "What've you got?"

"Vanilla." Sarah replied, keeping her eyes fixed on the screen as the woman crept down the deserted hallway.

"Three…two…one…" Sarah said tiredly.

BANG!

A large monster jumped out of a closet and the woman screamed.

Chris didn't notice this; his gaze was firmly fixed on Sarah.

"Vanilla? Only vanilla?" he asked in disbelief.

"I like vanilla." She defended, dipping her spoon into the container once again.

"But where's your sense of adventure Spazzy? Why plain old vanilla?"

She pulled the spoon out of her mouth and sighed.

"Because it's predictable. It will never change so you don't have to worry about it being different. It's simple."

"But you like things that _aren't _simple." Chris pointed out.

"I know… I just…like vanilla the best that's all."

"Okay." He replied dipping his spoon into his ice cream.

"Are you _sure _you don't want to try some of this deliciously chocolate-y ice-cream. It's good. Very, very, very, very extra-"

Sarah laughed and smacked his chest.

"If I say yes will you stop?"

"Pretty much." Chris replied.

Chris dipped the ice cream spoon into the container and withdrew it with a large amount of ice cream on the top.

Sarah opened her mouth and took it off the spoon, nodding happily as she swallowed.

"Okay, so it's not _that _bad but I still prefer vanilla. Not so flashy. Just…simple."

"What ever you say."

There was a comfortable silence and neither of them noticed Wyatt open one eye and watch them while they ate.

"Hey Sarah?"

"Mmmmm?"

"Not to pry or anything but why aren't you… more upset that he broke up with you. It _was _your first boyfriend and all…"

Sarah tilted her head before answering, "He was just too... fake sometimes. He pretended to listen to me and he pretended to care. Besides, I was thinking about ending it anyway."

'Why?" Chris asked quickly, nearly slapping himself for sounding so happy at her answer.

Why _was _he so happy that they'd broke up? Drew had been a nice enough guy but…

"He didn't know I was a witch and things were getting complicated. He wanted to know where I was disappearing to and why I had a pentagram for a birthmark as well as a crescent moon and star one. He wanted me to tell him why I never took off my necklace and why I was living with you and not in foster care again. I couldn't answer any of it."

"Oh."

Wyatt noted the hint of happiness in his brother's voice as he and Sarah talked about her break-up and tried to resist the urge to roll his eyes.

What idiots.

Sarah sighed and turned her head.

"Hey Chris?"

"Yeah Sarah?"

"You don't think I have my heart set on anyone do you? I don't even know what he meant by that? Who is there for me to be substituting him for?"

Wyatt rolled his eyes and stifled a laugh.

Yep, definitely idiots.


	12. The Beggining of the End

A depressing silence surrounded the Halliwell manor. There was no noise at all coming from the house. On any other day this would have been a blessing for the neighbours but today, the silence was terrible. The poor family. Many of the neighbours had expressed their condolences to them, sending flowers and casseroles to the family. But they all knew that a flower and some food could not reverse what had happened.

Every neighbour had seen the youngest son of Piper Halliwell walking down the street with the Sparrow child nearly every afternoon. They all wondered how he was coping with the devastating news. Nobody had seen him since the ambulance had pulled up in front of the house. The entire street had gathered around the house, almost eager to find out what had gone on. The Halliwells were a strange family, always something going on with them. Whether it be a faked death for protection or multiple repairs to the interior of their house- something was different about them.

Many wished to know what had happened. Seeing an ambulance outside of the manor was a rare sight. So many wondered what had happened for such a thing to occur. A broken bone? A serious illness? A heart attack?

But when the men had brought out a body bag- the crowd had almost immediately disappeared. Someone had died.

And after that day… everything changed.

* * *

**XxX**

* * *

Chris tugged impatiently at his tie before he growled and gave up. He threw himself onto his bed and lay face down on the mattress, unmoving and silent.

"Chris." There came a knock on his door. His aunt Paige opened the door and emerged in a black skirt and shirt.

"Chris sweetie it's time to go."

"I'm not going." He rasped, not moving from his position.

"Why not sweetie?" Paige sat on his bed beside him and patted his back.

"Because if I go I'll watch them talk about how she's gone to a better place and that means she really is gone. And I refuse to accept that."

"Chris honey. I know it's hard but things will get better." Paige tried to soothe him.

"No they won't. Things won't _get better. _She's gone and she's not coming back!"

Chris looked up at his Aunt and blinked back tears.

"Why isn't she coming back?" he asked, letting the tears run down his face.

Paige wiped her own tears from her eyes and stroked Chris's hair.

"She's gone sweetie."

"But where did she go?" he questioned.

"I don't know. I wish I did."

Chris rolled over and kept his back to his aunt. A memory flashed up in his mind of that day and it was all he could do to keep from crying again.

* * *

_Sarah sat crossed legged on Chris's bed while they talked. It was a frequent thing for them to do. Nobody really understood how Chris and Sarah could simply talk for hours on end._

_"I'm glad we took a year off before going to college. It's actually given me time to work on focusing my magic better. Even when I get a new power now I'm getting a lot more controlled."_

_"I wanted the year off to relax. After twelve years of normal school and fifteen of them at Magic school I am glad to finally get out of there."_

_Sarah laughed and re-crossed her legs, folding them into the lotus position and running her fingers through her hair._

_"So when we go to college do you think we should get an apartment with Wyatt or move onto campus?"_

_"Probably an apartment. College dorms are creepy."_

_Sarah laughed again and opened her mouth._

_A scream came from downstairs followed by a loud crash._

_"CHRIS! SARAH!"_

_The two hurried downstairs for what they thought would be a typical vanquish… but they didn't know that it would change everything._

* * *

"Chris honey, are you coming?" Paige questioned.

"Okay." He wiped his cheeks and stood up from his bed.

"I'll be there in a second." He assured his aunt.

As soon as she had disappeared from his sight Chris headed for the room that had been untouched since Shax had attacked. His hand hesitated on the knob before he turned it and entered the room.

It was as if Sarah had never even left. The bed was made but rumpled; books were scattered across the floor in disarray and the photos on her walls seemed to mock him, reminding him of better times.

Chris gently reached down and picked up Avalon from her bed. The stuffed animal's button eyes seemed to hold a sorrow that Chris recognized. It was as if Avalon knew she was gone too.

He held onto Avalon and headed for the door. Chris stood back in the hallway and took one final look into the room before he raised his hand and telekinetically shut and locked the door from the inside.

He was closing the door to his past. The old him. From now on…

Everything would change.

* * *

**A/N- And here we have the end to Before the Breakdown. But don't worry, if you have a request I will be more then happy to add it. I might even get an idea and add it in. I hope you enjoyed it. **


	13. Three Months Ago Today Epilogue

Three months ago today Chris had cradled the body of his best friend in his arms.

Three months ago today Chris had watched men he didn't know zip Sarah up in a body bag, making him scream at them not to touch her. Not to take her away from him.

Three months ago today Chris had sat in bed at night, almost waiting for her to come walking through the door.

Three months ago today Chris's world ended.

* * *

The streets of San Francisco were filled with screams and wails. Buildings lay in rubble, glass showering down on any unsuspecting bystander stupid enough to linger for too long beneath it. Lord Wyatt Matthew Halliwell had successfully managed to send the world into complete chaos.

In three months.

In every book on the subject Chris had ever read, in any movie he had ever seen, there was usually an underlying message. When someone dies- the world doesn't end.

Sure looked like it to him.

Witches and mortals alike were scurrying for cover in fear of being killed –or worse- not killed. Demons under Wyatt's command patrolled the city on an hourly basis, bringing anyone with any amount of power directly to Wyatt.

Chris didn't want to think about what happened when they got there.

Despite the chaos and destruction and the ever-looming cloud of death along with the figurative 'WANTED' sign hovering over his head, Christopher Perry Halliwell ambled slowly down the ruined streets as though this was an ordinary walk he took every day. He hadn't shown his face above ground since he had walked into the living room of the manor to find his brother standing over his massacred family.

Three months ago.

Footsteps rapidly approached him but Chris made no movement, or showed any signs of hiding.

Maybe he wanted to be caught. Maybe part of him longed to be beside his brother and have someone he knew take care of him. He was Wyatt's brother after all; maybe he would take pity on him and allow Chris to join ranks. Maybe…

"HEY!"

Chris's thoughts were rudely derailed when a teenager no older then seventeen crashed into him. His face was flushed and a dark substance stained his grubby shirt.

"You have to help me!" he pleaded desperately, seizing Chris's shoulders.

"It's my friend! There was a demon and- there is so much blood and they keep screaming! PLEASE!"

"No." Chris spat harshly, tugging his arm out of the boys grasp and moving down the street. He didn't want to help people- who had helped him when he was trying so desperately to hide from his brother? Nobody. He had spent his time building up a suitable concealment charm in his mother's abandoned nightclub, scavenging for tinned food and trying in vain to make his magic work so he could create more. His magic strength had faded…

Three months ago.

The teen would not be deterred, grabbing Chris again and pleading over and over.

"PLEASE!" he begged as Chris tugged out of his grasp again and headed down the street.

"SHE NEEDS HELP! SHE'LL DIE!"

She.

The words stirred in Chris's mind, a haunting familiarity to them. He had thought that precise thing when he held Sarah's shaking body in his arms. The words weighed heavily in his mind before a voice invaded his thoughts.

"_Help them, Chrissy."_

The feminine tones made his heart leap, his eyes showing life for the first time in three months. He knew that voice. He knew what he had to do. Chris turned around and stared the teen up and down before uttering one single word.

"Okay."

* * *

Chris and the unnamed teen weaved their way over fallen power lines and overturned trashcans.

"I didn't want to move her," the boy explained from his position, "But I couldn't leave her where she was in case the demons came back."

Chris was too busy thinking about what had persuaded him to be here then listening to the boy until a pained whimper came from a few meters ahead of him. Without thinking Chris tore forward and knelt beside the fallen girl. Her long black hair hung limp in her eyes, stringy from lack of care, her green eyes staring fearfully into his.

"Don't hurt me." She whispered through her tears.

"Don't worry Kelly, he's here to help you." The boy reassured her, taking her hand in his and looking into Chris's eyes with his worried brown ones.

"Harry! You came back!" she gasped happily.

"Course I did."

"Where does it hurt the most?" Chris interrupted, his heart aching at the scene.

"My stomach. T-there was a fireball and i-it just mis-s-sed me."

Chris's hands cautiously raised the bloodstained shirt, noting that the blood on 'Harry's' shirt was obviously from her. A bloodied wound marred the tanned skin and Chris pulled off his jacket, tearing the fabric before wrapping it around her wound.

"We need to get her back to my place." He whispered quickly.

"Why?"

"Because this wound will need some medical supplies I don't have here. I think if I try I can conjure something magical for it but using magic in this alley is dangerous. Take my hand." Chris instructed firmly as he outstretched his hand while gently sliding his arm underneath the girl's back.

When Harry took Chris's hand they all disappeared in a swirl of orb lights.

* * *

It took Chris a solid hour and a half until Kelly's wound was relatively healed. Bandaging the wound had been easy; he had had plenty of practice on Sarah when she had been too afraid to go to Wyatt in fear of receiving a safety lecture on demon hunting. Magic was the hard part.

Aside from orbing and the concealment charm, Chris hadn't used his magic at all. But after several tries and a lot of focusing his powers had been able to supply a decent healing charm.

"Thank-you." Kelly whispered shyly to him when he had finished. Harry immediately hugged her softly, not wanting to harm the wound.

Chris's chest constricted as he watched the pair hold onto each other for what seemed to be a decade. When they finally broke apart, Harry thanked Chris profusely.

"It is no big deal." Chris replied emotionlessly.

"No, it is, you saved my best friends life and I don't even know your name."

"Chris Halliwell." He replied without thinking.

Kelly gasped and drew back, clutching at her side and Harry stood protectively in front of her.

"Wait! I won't hurt you!" Chris corrected himself.

"You're **his** brother." Harry snarled.

"And I'm working against him!" Chris insisted.

Harry glared at him untrustingly but lowered his arms.

"Why should we trust you?" he spat.

"Because I saved your best friend. And my brother killed mine."

Kelly's eyes softened almost immediately but Harry stood his ground.

"I don't believe you."

Chris reached into his back pocket and removed a battered photo of him and Sarah in the garden of the manor. Harry looked it over and he spared a glance at Kelly before he looked back at the picture.

"She was in the paper." He said finally, "in the obituaries. Serenity Sparrow."

"Sarah." Chris corrected.

Harry nodded slowly and allowed himself to relax.

"I'm sorry. About her. How long?"

"Don't be, and three moths ago today." Chris replied as he took the picture back, wistfully touching Sarah's face in the picture.

Kelly stood awkwardly and looked at Chris.

"You could come stay with us." She suggested, "You know, you seem sort of lonely. There is about ten of us living in an abandoned apartment downtown. It's a bit crowded but-"

"Ten of you?" Chris interrupted. There were others who resisted Wyatt's lure?

"Give or take. We usually pick people of the streets who need a home, y'know? But you don't have to I mean-"

"Stay here." Chris interrupted her.

"What?" Harry questioned.

"Stay. Here." Chris repeated, "There is a concealment charm on the place so we can't be found and there is more room here then anywhere else. All of you can."

"You sure?"

"Positive." Chris replied, the beginnings of a smile touching at the corners of his lips.

He hadn't smiled in three months.

Harry left the room and headed towards the apartment, leaving Kelly to rest and Chris to sit at the bar with the photo in his hands.

'_Well done Chrissy.' _An unseen voice whispered in his ear.

"Thank-you Sarah." He whispered to the air.

He was going to help people out of this mess. He was going to fight back and resist Wyatt's pull of evil with the help of… friends.

After three months of depression, self-doubt and blame things were finally starting to work out.

Maybe the world hadn't ended just yet.

* * *

**A/N- so that is the epilogue and my idea of how Chris started his own little 'anti-Wyatt scheme.' I do not really love this chapter and there is a chance I may come back and re-write it later but for now this is it. Everto Dea has hit a rather unfortunate roadblock but I am hoping to work through it. Hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks to all me readers and a BIG, BIG, BIG thanks to my reviewers!**


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